The Iola register., 1887-04-01
THE BILLIARD HALLS.

Although no public announcement
Of the fact has been made, it is yet
pretty generally understood that "the
issue" in the coming election is the
question of closing the billiard halls
The majority of the council on the
Peoples Ticket are supposed to be in
favor of granting licenses to the billiard
halls on the same terms and conditions
as now exist. while majority of the
council on the Citizens Ticket are sup
posed to be opposed to granting them
a license Oh any terms. So far as the
REGISTER is concerned it believes that
the proper course to be taken in this
matter lies between the two lines just
indicated. Stated briefly it is this:
License. the billiard halls but compel
them to refuse admission to minors, to
keep their windows and doors free
from paint, screens Or;:other Obstructions
and 10 close at seasOnable hour. We
believe that if these conditions were
complied with there could be no more
objection to billiard hall than to an
opera house or any other place Of innO-
cent amusement. The gameof billiards
in itself, is as harmless as the game of
chess or croquet. Ifit eXerts bad in
fluence it is solely ON account of de-
mOralizing and degrading associations
and surroundings. These objections
would be to a great measure, If not en-
tirely, removed by thepublicity which
unscreened windows and doors would
give. We are willing TO admit that ev-
en- although entirely open 10 public
view, a billiard roOOm may not be the
place for boys, and for that reason we
would have no admission given to mi
nors. We have very little faith in the
idea of reforming man by legislation.
If a man is filthy he is very apt to re-
main filthy still in spite of laws. III
the billiard halls were closed We verify |
believe that nine out of ten of the men
who frequent them would seek out |
some other means of diversion that
would be much more harmeful to |
themselves and more dangerous to the
community. But while we have little |
faith in the law as a reformatory agent |
we have a great deal Of faith in it as |
preventive agent. The boy is father |
of the man and the way to reform the |
man is to bring up the boy SO he will |
not need reforming. For this reason |
we would have the law interpose /
wherever and whenever possible be-
tween the boy and temptations of all
kinds. Let the boys be kept out Of
the billiard halls and We believe
that even from moral stand
point our town would be better
off with them than without
them. lola has no dives. Close up the /
billiard halls and how long would it be /
till their most confirmed freQuenters |
would he hidden away in some back |
room with their cards and their beer:
These men will have society and diver
sion; is it not better for the community
and better for themselves that they
should find them in public rather than
in private? We repeat that even from
a moral standpoint it will be better
for the town to license the billiard
halls. The advantages in a business
and financial way are too obvious to
mention.
In expressing these views, which we
are aware will be read, perhaps with
surprise, certainly with disapproval
by great many people whom we
highly esteem, we are influenced by 1
no ulterior motives whatever. We
have never touched q cue in lola, and
we have never received a dollars |,
worth of patronage from any or all of
the billiard halls. Nor is this written
because We are pledged to assist the
ofany particular candidate or
set of candidates. 1t is written simply
because it expresses our honest opinion
on question that is attracting con-
siderable attention just now and that
ia ofenOugh importance to justify pub
lie discussion.